The key for Byron Nelson is simple: depth. The Bobcats have it everywhere.

Their top three attackers all have 246 kills or more, and on the defensive side, they have three players with more than 200 digs. Some high schools rely on just one setter, but Byron Nelson rolls out two with 373 assists or more.

The numbers are eye-popping, right down to the 26-1 record, and this type of excellence is nothing new for the Bobcats — three years ago, they went 50-2, beating teams from Hawaii and California on their way to winning a state championship.

After a 19-20 campaign last season, the addition of freshman Kylie Kleckner and her team-leading 263 kills has given Bryon Nelson another option in the attack, with senior Samantha Hoppes and sophomore Sydnee Peterson contributing 250 and 246 kills, respectively.

Kleckner and Peterson, both outside hitters, chip in defensively with 215 and 207 digs, respectively. Senior Campbell Love leads the way with 286 digs.

Setters Anna Koster and Keatyn Rodgers key the attack with 443 and 373 assists, respectively.

Thanks to those varied contributions, Byron Nelson has risen two spots to No. 4 in this week’s Just Women’s Sports volleyball team rankings, and the team hopes to keep clicking on all cylinders with district play beginning Friday.

Check out the complete rankings below, and click here to see last week’s rankings.

1. Cathedral Catholic (Calif.), 11-0

The Dons haven’t dropped a set this season, winning the Kamehameha Volleyball Tournament this past weekend in Hawaii.

2. Bloomfield Hills Marian (Mich.), 16-0

The Mustangs have won 69 of their last 70 matches and are seeking a third consecutive state championship.

3. Wayzata (Minn.), 4-0

The Trojans continue to dominate their opposition and are approaching 60 consecutive wins.

4. Byron Nelson (Texas), 26-1

The Bobcats have a chance to avenge their sole loss of the season Friday when they face Southlake Carroll.

Senior night fun! Thank you girls and families for everything you have given back during your 4 years in our program. We can’t wait to see what you do next! 💙🖤🤍 #BNVB pic.twitter.com/7fS7TpSBTT

— BNVB Booster Club (@BnvbClub) September 1, 2022

5. Blue Valley North (Kan.), 6-0

Down 21-16 in the decisive third set, Blue Valley North rallied to win 18-25, 25-22, 25-23 on Tuesday to maintain an unbeaten start to its season.

6. Westminster Christian (Fla.), 9-0

The Warriors have advanced to three consecutive Class 3A state championship matches, losing each time. They hope this year will be different and received a major confidence boost this past weekend, beating No. 10 Cornerstone Christian to win a national tournament.

7. Dike-New Hartford (Iowa), 16-1

It’s tough to stop the Wolverines’ 1-2 punch of twins Payton and Jaydn Peterson, who have 254 kills between them. They also have Madelyn Norton, whose 319 assists is second in the state.

8. Prestonwood Christian (Texas), 23-1

The youthful Lions have sophomores leading the team in kills (Macaria Spears, 230) and digs (Gillian Pitts, 265) and a junior leading in assists (Camille Edwards, 309).

9. McCutcheon (Ind.), 11-1

Senior Chloe Chicoine, the No. 2 recruit in the JWS volleyball high school player rankings, is averaging 6.2 kills per set on a .394 hitting percentage. Her 155 kills have helped the Mavericks bounce back from an early-season loss.

10. Cornerstone Christian (Texas), 37-2

The Warriors knocked off No. 16 Santa Fe to advance to the championship of a national tournament in Florida but were unable to take first, falling to Westminster Christian out of Miami.

11. Cleveland (Tenn.), 23-1

Sisters Addison Hurst and Lauren Hurst are first and second, respectively, in kills and digs for the Blue Raiders. Addison, a senior, has 288 kills and 169 digs, while Lauren, a sophomore, has 241 kills and 145 digs.

12. Assumption (Ky.), 11-0

The Rockets have put together a demanding schedule against top in-state and national competition, and it only gets tougher with a matchup against perennial California power Mater Dei next week.

Assumption volleyball stays undefeated against a comeback rally from a tough Mercy squad. @RocketSportsAHS @MercyAcademyJaghttps://t.co/kDUEfyBGxi pic.twitter.com/3pLDEdAkQ2

— Sam Upshaw Jr. (@CJ_Upshot) September 7, 2022

13. Highland Park (Texas), 25-2

The Scots have bounced back from a loss to Prestonwood Christian with three consecutive sweeps.

14. Tompkins (Texas), 23-3

Cindy Tchouangwa is nearing 300 kills on the season with more than a month of regular-season play remaining.

15. Mira Costa (Calif.), 10-2

The Mustangs picked up a big win over reigning state champions Marymount.

16. Santa Fe (Fla.), 9-1

The Raiders fell to Cornerstone Christian but otherwise acquitted themselves nicely, winning six of seven matches in a highly competitive tournament atmosphere.

17. Fayetteville (Ark.), 4-0

Brooke Rockwell is averaging over 4.5 kills per set as the Bulldogs remain unblemished. They haven’t dropped a single set through their first four matches.

18. St. James Academy (Kan.), 6-0

At one point last decade, St. James had won nine state titles in the last 11 seasons. Now, the Thunder are looking to win their first championship since 2018.

19. North Allegheny (Pa.), 3-0

The five-time defending state champions have picked up right where they left off, defeating last year’s state semifinalists Shaler in straight sets Tuesday to improve to 3-0.

Girls Volleyball Recap: @nagirlsvb tops Shaler Titans in WPIAL title game rematch, 3-0.

🔗- https://t.co/Ol9xBFH5Uf pic.twitter.com/Uy7kqgOGxV

— NATigers (@NATigerAthletic) September 7, 2022

20. Alpharetta (Ga.), 20-3

The Raiders are fueled by a balanced attack of three players with more than 100 kills.

21. Conroe (Texas), 33-1

The Tigers bounced back from a straight-set loss to The Woodlands with a sweep on Tuesday.

22. Mother McAuley (Ill.), 8-0

The Mighty Macs enjoyed a week of rest before tournament play this weekend.

23. Skutt Catholic (Neb.), 9-3

The Skyhawks tested themselves against top competition this past weekend and came out looking rosy, beating previously-ranked Buford and Bishop Gorman.

24. Sierra Canyon (Calif.), 14-2

The Trailblazers suffered a four-set loss Saturday but bounced back by sweeping Marymount.

25. Marymount (Calif.), 4-2

The Sailors have hit a rough patch, losing consecutive matches for the first time in nearly three years.

Phillip Suitts is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports. He has worked at a variety of outlets, including The Palm Beach Post and Southeast Missourian, and done a little bit of everything from reporting to editing to running social media accounts. He was born in Atlanta but currently lives in wintry Philadelphia. Follow Phillip on Twitter @PhillipSuitts.

In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins dives into the individuals who put together standout performances for the USWNT in the team's recent pair of friendlies, from a big update in the goalkeeping race to the squad's multi-layered midfield project.

Watkins also breaks down the missed opportunities amid the USWNT's 3-0 win over China PR and 4-0 victory against Jamaica, as the year of head coach Emma Hayes's great roster experiment crosses the six-month mark.

Diving straight into the players who impressed, Watkins first calls out US captain Lindsey Heaps, applauding her performances while also noting that she "[wishes] maybe [Heaps] was used more situationally than kind of all the time."

"Heaps has so much to give this team, but it is probably against teams like this where they're sitting back a little bit more," explains Watkins. "I don't love her against a press. I don't love her against a super athletic, physical midfield, but in these games, she really shines."

Shifting to the ongoing search to crown retired goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher's replacement, Watkins dubs Manchester United net-minder Phallon Tullis-Joyce — who started both USWNT friendlies — the overall frontrunner.

"Tullis-Joyce honestly reminds me a lot of Alyssa Naeher in her first couple years with the USWNT," says Watkins. "She's calm, she's organized, she's a good shot-stopper. She's a great communicator."

Young talent make strong cases for USWNT roster inclusion

Watkins also sings the praises of several young talents whose performances over the last week will make them hard to drop, including "obvious" choices like forward Alyssa Thompson and attacker Catarina Macario, as well as strike Ally Sentnor and teen midfielder Lily Yohannes.

Callling Yohannes "the freaking truth," Watkins notes that "you're seeing glimpses of what could become truly world-class play against the top teams in the world in a couple of years."

Making a slightly quieter, but no less impactful, case, argues Watkins, is winger Michelle Cooper.

Cooper's consistent refining and improvement have Watkins comparing her progress to star Trinity Rodman's USWNT evolution, saying that top passing is "how [Rodman] worked her way into the team before starting to take more shots. I think Cooper can follow that same game plan."

Missed opportunities leave some players scrambling

Pivoting to the missed opportunities arising from the two friendlies, Watkins calls the center-back pairings "lackluster," celebrating the return of star Naomi Girma and her rock-solid play as well as veteran Emily Sonnett's versatility while critiquing Hayes's decision to not test much depth at the position.

"It just feels like a wasted opportunity with so many other center back injuries," Watkins explains, referencing season-ending injuries to players like Tierna Davidson.

Along with what Watkins calls "rough" set pieces, she notes that less rotation and late subs were a missed opportunity to adequately test fresh faces or build chemistry with other players.

Noting that performances like forward Lynn Biyendolo's Jamaica match, in which she scored a brace off the bench, are "the gold standard," Watkins also questions Hayes's own criticism about the level of play dropping off when athletes aren't given enough minutes to find their feet and make an impact.

Citing talent like defender Emily Sams and midfielders Lo'eau LaBonta and Olivia Moultrie, Watkins posits that the sub patterns "just didn't quite have the focus that I'm sure Hayes was looking for."

"I worry that the players that kind of got dumped into games late never really had a chance, which is this happens at times when they're starting to ramp up," she says.

Overall, Hayes seems to be more obviously honing in on her starting core.

"We're starting to see players get multiple starts.... Those are the players to take seriously as the future of this program," notes Watkins.

"Hayes is being very purposeful with what she wants to see from her starters and what she wants to see from her bench. And there is an increasing gap between those two groups," says Watkins. "So the competition rises next international break."

About 'The Late Sub' with Claire Watkins

The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes on the USWNT, NWSL, and all things women's soccer. Special guest appearances featuring the biggest names in women’s sports make TLS a must-listen for every soccer fan.

Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women's Sports newsletter for more.

Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.

The WNBA recognized May’s top performers on Wednesday, handing out the first round of monthly awards to early-season standouts across the league.

Lynx star Napheesa Collier picked up Western Conference Player of the Month, with the forward averaging 26.8 points per game while leading Minnesota to a 6-0 May start.

Earning the same honor in the Eastern Conference was Dream standout guard Allisha Gray, who started the season with a 21.4 points-per-game average to help boost Atlanta to third in the league standings.

New York Liberty manager Sandy Brondello won Coach of the Month — a natural fit after leading the 2024 WNBA champs to their best opening record since 1997.

The most surprising nod, however, went to Rookie of the Month Kiki Iriafen, with the Mystics forward averaging a 13.9-point, 10.1-rebound double-double while shooting 47.4% from the field in her first month as a pro.

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The USC product opened the season with a bang, becoming just the second rookie in WNBA history to record four double-doubles in her first five games, joining Utah Starzz forward Natalie Williams, who did so in 1999 — three years before Iriafen was born.

The day-one Mystics starter is also the first Rookie of the Month in Washington franchise history, telling reporters, "From the day I got drafted to the Mystics, I just put my head down, like, I'm going to work… I'm just giving my best effort every single time that I'm playing, and it's nice to see the fruits of your labor come to fruition."

How to watch the winners of May's WNBA awards in action

While Collier's Lynx and Gray's Dream are off until the weekend, Brondello's Liberty will visit Iriafen and the Mystics at 7:30 PM ET on Thursday, live on Prime.

Texas softball took Game 1 of the 2025 Women's College World Series (WCWS) championship series by topping in-state rivals Texas Tech 2-1 on Wednesday night, putting the Longhorns just one win away from clinching a program-first national championship.

"It's tight, especially when you're facing a good pitcher," said Texas catcher Reese Atwood, who delivered the game-winning hit. "Any momentum, any energy, we'll take it."

After a controversial obstruction call gifted Texas Tech a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth, a rare misstep from Red Raiders ace NiJaree Canady gave Texas the daylight they needed to pull ahead.

With two Longhorns in scoring position and Atwood — the nation's RBI leader — stepping to the plate, Texas Tech head coach Gerry Glasco decided to take advantage of the vacant first base by instructing Canady to intentionally walk Atwood.

Noticing that Canady's intentional balls were dangerously close to the strike zone, Atwood capitalized, launching a game-winning two-run single on a 3-0 count — her first hit of the WCWS.

"Maybe it was the wrong decision. Maybe we should've went at her," said Glasco following the loss.

With up to two games left to play, the 2025 WCWS has already been a huge hit, averaging 1.1 million viewers on ESPN before the championship series even began — the network's highest pre-finals viewership on record.

While this year's NCAA tournament chases even more viewership history, Texas Tech will be hunting a Game 2 win to keep their championship dreams alive.

How to watch Game 2 of the 2025 WCWS championship series

The Red Raiders and Longhorns will square off again at 8 PM ET in Thursday's Game 2 of the best-of-three series, airing live on ESPN.

England dropped its 2025 Euro roster on Thursday morning, with manager Sarina Wiegman's title-defending squad facing major shakeups after three longtime staples recently withdrew from consideration.

Forward Fran Kirby and goalkeeper Mary Earps officially announced their international retirements mere days before the drop, with Wiegman previously informing 31-year-old Kirby of her omission from this summer's lineup.

Defender Millie Bright followed suit, stepping back from the team in a Wednesday social media post that stated she's "not able to give 100% mentally or physically."

While these shifts don't necessarily spell defeat, England now faces an uphill climb in their hunt for a second straight European title.

The Lionesses will start their campaign in Group D, a tricky division featuring perennial powerhouses France and the Netherlands plus regional rival Wales.

To further complicate things, England is also coming off a rocky Nations League run, failing to qualify for this year's Finals after finishing second behind Group A3 winner — and 2023 World Cup champs — Spain.

Though their 2025 Euro roster is missing some homegrown talent, the England lineup does feature a handful of NWSL stars stepping into the spotlight.

Washington defender Esme Morgan will make her Euro debut after helping lead the Lionesses to the 2023 World Cup final, while Gotham defender Jess Carter and Orlando goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse return to the competition to defend their 2022 success.

All in all, with a refreshed roster and increased parity across the women's game, the Lionesses' path to 2025 Euro victory is now more uncertain than ever.

England's 2025 Euro roster

• Goalkeepers: Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Khiara Keating (Manchester City), Anna Moorhouse (Orlando Pride)

• Defenders: Lucy Bronze (Chelsea), Leah Williamson (Arsenal), Jess Carter (Gotham FC), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal), Esme Morgan (Washington Spirit), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Maya le Tissier (Manchester United)

• Midfielders: Ella Toone (Manchester United), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Keira Walsh (Chelsea), Grace Clinton (Manchester United), Jess Park (Manchester City)

• Forwards: Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Arsenal, on loan from Manchester City), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Michelle Agyemang (Brighton, on loan from Arsenal), Alessia Russo (Arsenal), Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea)